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TRIPS II, Asia and the Mercantile Pharmaceutical War: Implications for Innovation and Access

This paper focuses on the implications of the TRIPS II agenda for the pharmaceutical sector in the Asian region. Copyright protection has significant implications for “access to knowledge,” in addition to entertainment, and this paper acknowledges the public welfare implications of developments with respect to copyright. The author concludes that Asian developing and emerging market countries have self-interests in developing strong domestic pharmaceutical industry capacities, and that Asian medicines consumers have an interest in affordable access. Therefore, a cautious approach by Asian governments may yield global public welfare benefits.